


G00dbye_w0rld

by HonestCriminal



Series: Mockingjay [3]
Category: Mockingjay series
Genre: Horror, Murder, Mystery, Original Characters - Freeform, Original Series, Original work - Freeform, kidnap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-06 14:19:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17346779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HonestCriminal/pseuds/HonestCriminal
Summary: Just when Riley and Nathan had met their tragic end in "hell0_w0rld", there is someone who still isn't finished with them. Sometimes a blow to the head isn't even enough to put someone down, and now, Jay is going to find that out the hard way.





	1. Body bag

"Name: Nathan García. Age?"

"29."

"That Mockingjay just ain't thinking of us having to deal with this bullshit. Especially Saturday nights! It's ridiculous."

"Yeah, I know."

Nathan's eyes opened slightly, "what's..."

"A voice came from in the bag...!"

_Ziiiiiiip_.

"HUH?!" Nathan quickly sat up and looked around; there were two men standing each side of a table he was lying on. "What's going on?!"

" _NATHAN!_ "

Nathan's eyes widened, "R-Riley...?"

"I'll go get someone!" One of the men ran out the room, closing the door behind him.

The other one stood there, staring at Nathan and backing away slowly. "H-How?"

"Can you just tell me what the hell is goin-!" Nathan stopped as he felt a dripping from his head. "Am I... bleeding?" He placed his hand on his head and moved it in his sight. " _Oh shit_..."

" _NATHAN!!_ "

"RILEY?!" He shouted and darted his eyes around the room. "Where's Riley?!" He turned to the man, a desperate look in his eyes.

The man's face dropped slowly, the fear on his face turning to disappointment. "She..." He turned to the body bag on the table next to Nathan. "James, he..."

Nathan's vision began to blur, he quickly got off the table and stood up, his posture being slightly bent over. "Freeman... He... killed her?"

The man nodded.

" ** _AAAAAAAAAAAH!!_** "

"What the hell?!" The man turned to the door. "Connor?!" He then ran out the room to investigate the loud scream.

Nathan's eyes slowly turned to the body bag next to him. With   only   silence   in   his   thoughts, he moved over to the table. He grabbed the zipper and pulled it down. "Huh?!" His eyes widened. It was empty. "This... has to be a fucked up dream..."

" _NATHAN, WAKE UP!_ "

"Riley!" He shouted. His grit his teeth, getting annoyed at hearing Riley's voice but not seeing her anywhere. " _Am I going insane...?_ " He thought. He quickly turned away and to the door. His breathing completely stopped. A man stood at the door, his black hair laid over one of his eyes that were already as black as the night. The man's blue shirt was completely soaked in crimson, red blood.

"You... you're Michael." Nathan breathed, his voice cracking slightly. His eyes widened, "H-How...?! How're you even still alive?! WHERE'S RILEY?"

Michael made his way over to him, "you hear her, don't you?"

"Where is she?!" Nathan spoke up, his voice getting louder with each word.

Michael stood there, his eyes glued to Nathan's. "Heh."

"What's so funny?!" Nathan shouted.

"You have no idea that you're gunna become like Jay now."

Nathan shook his head quickly in disbelief. "I would never murder anyone! Just tell me where Riley is, tell me she's safe at least!" Nathan paused for a second before his brown eyes shot open, " **DID YOU** **KILL THOSE TWO MEN?!** "

Michael stayed silent. His eyes stayed the same, dark and doe-eyed.

"You're just like him too..." Nathan's mouth hung open slightly as he took a step back. "Y-You're a killer too." Nathan gulped and ran out the door, slamming it behind him. " _Holy shit._ " He turned, ran down the hall and outside the building. He stopped to catch his breath.

"I can't let you kill him." Michael spoke up.

"HOLY SHIT." Nathan jumped back, noticing Michael standing right in front of him. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Nathan's facial expression grew angry. "Freeman KILLED my boss,  _my friend!_  But do you really think I would kill him?!"

"Yeah." Michael replied. "You're so naïve and stupid, you have no idea about the world that's going on around you."

_"Nathan!"_

"UUUGH!" Nathan shook his head, "then tell me! Tell me why I can still hear her!"

"She's not dead, you idiot." Michael replied, placing his hands in his jean pockets. “Well... Maybe not completely.”

"I'm... so confused." Nathan spoke.

"If Jay kills anyone with a simple blow to the head..."

Nathan looked down at his blood stained hand.

"they   become   just   like   him." Michael finished.

Nathan looked at Michael with a serious expression, "...what the hell did Jay do with Riley?"

"You should come with me." Michael exclaimed.

  
_~~_   
  


Twenty minutes had gone by, Nathan and Michael stood in front of an old  abandoned  house. The windows were boarded up and the paint on the house was rusted and peeled. There's no way anyone would be living here or had lived there for years. "Michael, what did-"

"Mike."

Nathan sighed, "Mike. Just what is happening to us...? Mierda, my head is  _killing_  me..."

Mike walked up the few steps to the front of the house, he grabbed the door handle and pulled on it. The door opened with a creak and the inside was completely dark. A disgusting odor radiated from the doorway, hitting Nathan's face directly. "Ay, dios _mio,_ you really expect me to go in there?" Nathan asked.

"Then you clearly don't give a shit about Riley." Mike replied.

Nathan glared at him and walked inside, he turned to the light switch and flicked it; to his expectation, it did nothing. " _Of course._ " He sighed.

Nathan turned around and Mike stood right up close to him, Mike's golden brown eyes glowing slightly in his jet black sclerae. "You don't have to take this personally." Mike spoke. He pulled his fist back and punched Nathan in the face,  _hard_ ; causing Nathan to fall unconscious on the ground by Mike's feet.

"Kinda."


	2. Voices in their head

"Nathan? Hey. Can you hear me?"

"Oh, god, I can still hear her..." Nathan groaned as he opened his eyes; his sight adjusting to his surroundings.

"Nathan..."

Nathan's eyes widened as he saw Riley across the room from him. She was tied up at her feet and her wrists. "RILEY,  _HOLY SHIT_ , YOU'RE ALIVE!" A smile grew to his lips. "You're actually aliv-! Your... your eyes. Why're your eyes like Mike's...?"

Riley's small, weak smile turned into a frown. "I..." The sadness in her eyes became more clear. "I can't believe this is happening..."

As Nathan looked around the dark room, he could make out a few other people facing towards the walls. "What's... going on?"

"I shouldn’t have took it..." Riley started to mumble to herself, “I didn’t even get a chance to read it all..."

"R-Riley, why're you talking like this?" Nathan scooted over towards her, but she shuffled further away. "I've been hearing you in my head this whole time..."

"The last person you think of before he--" Riley turned away, "the person's voice in your head... is the few things they're saying before Jay-..." She cut off before finishing her sentence, the thought of Jay killing her and Nathan made her sick.

Nathan's eyes widened, "but how would I know what you were saying?! I was out cold!" Nathan paused, his hands shaking slightly as he tried to sit up, "Riley..., who's voice... are  _you_  hearing?"

_"Little fish, little fish. Remember? Heheh..."_

Riley sunk her head between her knees. "We never really know who someone is until you meet them..." She mumbled. "I was a god damn idiot for thinking he would be different."

" _Please_  don't tell me you're saying what I think you're saying." Nathan spoke with a serious tone.

Riley stayed quiet, her arms wrapped around her legs.

" **ARE YOU KIDDING ME?** " Nathan shouted, "Y-Y-You actually had...  _FEELINGS_  for that psychopath?!"

" **LEAVE ME ALONE, NATHAN.** " Riley shouted.

"She's right, you know." A girl in the corner spoke up. "Psychopaths do have a certain charm." The girl turned around, her green eyes glowing slightly behind the rest of the darkness.

" _Dios mio_... What is it with you people and your obsession Freeman...? What's so intriguing about a serial killer?" Nathan threw his arms out slightly with a shrug.  
  
"Even deadliest of serial killers can be… persuasive. Jay just uses his British accent and natural charm to his advantage. We all become curious of people like him. …But we all know that. That’s   why   we’re   here." The girl spoke up.  
  
"Jesus..." Nathan shifted his eyes towards the door, "I'm even starting to think that Mike likes him too..."

"He does." Riley spoke up and then paused; like she was in thought for a second. "Mike got... very angry when he found out how I felt." She paused, fidgeting with the ropes around her wrists. "I don't think anyone is going to be looking for us..."

"Then what're we supposed to do in here?!" Nathan exclaimed, "sit and wait for us to  _die_?!"

_"Nathan. Nathan!"_

"We can't die unless our heads are torn from our bodies or we're stabbed in the throat." The girl replied. "We have to sit here forever listening to the bullshit voice in our heads. The only way to subside the voice is to spill blood."

"We can't even fucking di-!?" Nathan shouted before getting interrupted.

"W-Wait, say that again." Riley spoke up.

"That the only way to subside them is to spill blood?" The girl repeated, confused.

"That's why Jay kills people..." Riley looked down at the ground, the floor slightly stained in small blood spatter. "He kills to subside the voice in his head...! But I wonder who's voice he hear-"

" **STOP BEING A** **GOD DAMN** **DETECTIVE, RILEY.** " Nathan had enough and spoke up. "WE'RE STUCK IN HERE BY A SHOULD-BE-DEAD MURDERER, I DON'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS WHY FREEMAN MURDERS PEOPLE. STOP TRYING TO JUSTIFY HIM."

The girl walked over to Nathan, "Seems you're jealous about all the attention he gets."

"Who the  _hell_  are you to say what I am..." Nathan spat.

"I  _was_  Jay's girlfriend. I think I know when people are jealous of him." She laughed. "I saw it in Mike's eyes all the time when he looked at me."

"Danielle Jackson...?" Riley turned to the girl, looking up at her. "You're... Jay's   girlfriend   who   disappeared..."

"He saw me see him kill." She explained. "He couldn't have that, so he killed me. Well, from what he thinks anyway. Mike took me when he knew Jay killed me with a head shot."

"That was two years ago." Nathan spoke up, an irritated tone in his voice. "You've still not figured a way out of here...?"

"I've had opportunities, but Mike, he's... very protective of Jay. Since Jay killed us, we're the only people that can kill  _him_." Danielle replied. "I would thrive at the thought of getting my hands on that good looking asshole... But for now, I'll just subside his voice in my head. I've killed almost everyone that comes in here."

Riley gulped, "you haven't killed us yet."

"Why is everyone a freakin' murderer?!" Nathan yelled. "This is getting old  _REAL_  quick."

"I could rip your head off right now and you wouldn't even see it comin', Nate." Danielle replied. She turned to Riley, "to answer your question, I don't have Jay's voice in my ear right now. I don't have a reason to murder you. Yet."

"What does he say...?" Riley asked.

_"Don't forget this face now, will ya? Not like you can."_

"...Nothing important."

Nathan grabbed the tight rope around his ankles and pulled on it until it came off. He slowly stood up, removing the rope around his wrists as well. "Well, I'm not gunna sit around and wait for douchebag's voice to come back, so you can kill me. I'm getting the hell out of this place."

"The last person who got outta here, their head rolled back in the room." Danielle exclaimed. "Mike is practically Jay's personal security guard. He won't let you leave."

"I'm not getting out to kill Jay, I  just  want  to  go   _home_." Nathan sighed.

"Does Jay even  _know_  that Mike's doing this?" Riley asked as Nathan helped her out of her ropes.

"Beats me." The girl replied. "But I doubt it."

Riley turned towards the door, "then I guess we should have Mike pay him a visit."


	3. Never the hero type

"Oh, and how are you gunna do that? Mike only comes here to throw people in who've been killed by Jay and come back." Danielle explained. "And if you haven't figured it out, it's not a lot. Jay kills people with a head shot when he wants to kill someone more quickly,  _even though that's not his style._ "

"Shouldn't there be more people in here regardless? I'm sure there's more than just us he's killed that way." Riley asked.

"Mike doesn't bring a lot of people here because he knows I kill them. Mike wants me to suffer with this fuckin' ear worm of a curse as much as possible. If you ain't noticed, Mike hates anyone that gets in the way of him and his  _precious Jay._ " Danielle explained.

"If you've been in here this whole time, how do you even  _know_  all this? How can you expect us to trust you?" Nathan asked, crossing his arms.

"Listen here, punk. I've been in here for two years, I'm not an idiot, I know how to put shit together." The girl snapped at him. "Neither of you are getting out of here, sorry to burst your bubble."

"Then we'll wait until Mike comes back." Riley spoke up.

 

**1**

 

" _ **ARG!**_ " A man grunted as blood dripped from his lips. He looked up at the other man in front of him. "You're... fucking  _insane_."

" _Heh._ " Jay bent down in front of him. "You think I ain't heard that one before?" He looked into the man's eyes, blood trickling down his forehead.

"Just kill me and get it over with already..." The man mumbled, looking straight into Jay's blue eye. "That's what you're best at."

"Oh no, the fun's just begun, Noah." Jay stood up and straightened his posture as he picked up the blood stained hammer off of his desk. "Killin’ so instantly..." Jay hit the man over the head with the hammer, a smirk growing to his face. " _is borin’_."

Silence filled the room. It hadn't been that quiet since Jay brought the man down there a few days ago. It actually annoyed him. "Noah, you still with me?" Jay asked, leaning forward slightly.

_..._

Jay sighed. He threw the hammer back on the desk and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Guess I got a little too excited, huh?"

Jay stood there for a few seconds staring at the body, he was still annoyed that the man died so quickly. " _For fuck sake._ " He groaned in his thoughts. "Oh, well." Jay picked up the body and walked up the steps from the basement to the ground floor. He made his way outside and dumped the body in the yard. He turned away and began making his way down the street, heading to the center of London.

Mike stood over the body, glancing down at it as it began to slowly reanimate. The man's eyes opened slowly as he saw Mike standing over him. "Who are-"

**_Slice._ **

The man's throat split right open, blood spitting from his neck and pooling in front of Mike's feet, his navy blue converse shoes now stained with even more blood than before. “....”

Nathan, Riley and Danielle turned their heads as the door to the dark and dust filled room slowly opened. " **HEY.** " Riley called out. The door opened more; more light escaping into the room. As the door was finally opened, Mike stood there; his blue switchblade in hand, blood dripping from the end of the metal.

Riley gulped slightly before standing her ground, "D-Do you really think Jay would appreciate this?"

Mike's golden brown eyes stood out the most from the rest of his silhouette. He walked closer to them, his face becoming more clear. "No, of course not. He's going to find you and me and chop our god damn heads off.  **OF COURSE, HE'LL FUCKING APPRECIATE IT.** "

Riley's eyes widened slightly, she never heard him shout or raise his voice. Was this person the same one who saved her she kept thinking. Jay must be really important to him. "Does he even know you're doing thi-?"

"What he does or doesn't know is none of your business." Mike interrupted.

Riley paused for a second. "...If you really think Jay will appreciate it, wouldn't you think he'd praise you for all the hard work you're doing for him?"

"Riley's right, you know." Danielle spoke up. "Imagine how happy he'd be to know his best friend is helping him."

"Like you know how to make him happy." Mike snapped, turning to Danielle.

"Me and Jay went out, get over it, you fucking asshole." Danielle replied.

" _LISTEN HERE, BITCH, I-_ "

”NO. You LISTEN! I’m sick of your fucking-!”

" ** _Shut the hell up!_**  Both of you." Nathan spoke up. "Mike, I couldn't give a shit what you do, you could save Jay from people like us for decades and still not even tell him you're the one who's doing it. But you won't show yourself to him because you're scared. Either you're scared of Jay knowing your true feelings or  you're  scared  of  Jay  himself."

Danielle and Riley turned to Nathan. Danielle raised her eyebrows, a small half smile on her face. "Shit."

Nathan walked closer to Mike, "all because you know you're no one but another victim of Mockingjay." Nathan shoved Mike and ran outside the room and outside the house. " _Fucking crazy._ " He drew heavy breaths as he continued running as fast as his legs would carry him down the street.

"...He ran away." Danielle spoke in a blunt voice.

"He was never the hero type." Riley added.

"...Jay's gunna find him." Mike spoke up.

Mike paused before a devious smirk crawled to his lips. "And when he does...

Jay's gunna try t'  _kill_  him."


	4. Then I'll believe you

Jay stood in an alley way in the center of the city, leaning against the bricked wall. It was August now and as it hit 5:30pm, it was already pretty dark outside. Jay, still being pissed off that he killed Noah so quickly, he sighed as he watched the people walk past, either coming home from work or going to a party. It made him a little nostalgic sometimes. "Time to find some noise." He mumbled under his breath.

Jay walked down the street, he threw a black hoodie on and lifted up the hood over his head, shoving his hands in the pockets. He glanced around, the lights on the front of some clubs began turning on and a small smile grew to his face.

He made his way over to the first club on the street.  _Puerro Heights_. As he walked up to the front door, the bouncer stopped him, putting his hand up.

"ID." The man spoke up.

"You're sayin' I don't look my age?" Jay asked.

"I can't even see your face. No ID, no entry." The man spoke, a slight annoyed tone in his voice.

Jay was getting even more irritated, he just wanted to party for a while. He's always been a sucker for parties. "I bet if I had huge tits, you'd let me in, wouldn't ya?" He snapped at the bouncer.

"Get the hell outta here." The man groaned.

Jay groaned, trying to push past the man but he pushed Jay away. The bouncer was a lot bigger than him, there was no way Jay was getting past him like that. As the man shoved him away, Jay's hood fell down. "..." Jay tilted his head up slowly. He knew the man recognized him. Jay had just done that stream with Riley's phone a few days ago, it was a   fresh   reminder  of   every   inch   and   cranny   of   Jay's   face.

"You're... You're that fuckin' kid!" The bouncer's face completely changed. " **H-Holy shit...!** "

"Now who're you callin' a kid?!" Jay quickly pulled the hammer from his back pocket and swung it around the man's head, knocking him out clean. " _Kid..._ "

As the man fell down, a few people behind Jay began to scream and run away. A couple stayed, too afraid to even move. " _Great._ " Jay groaned under his breath. He turned around to face them, raising an eyebrow. "What you lookin' at?" He rolled his blue eye and pushed past them, storming off down the street. His once pissed off mood was now even worse. He just wanted to find somewhere he could even just chill for a while before getting back to what he enjoys.

Police sirens began to wail behind him in the distance, Jay's attention being turned back to the club. "Guy can't catch a fuckin' break." Jay began to run down the streets. As he ran past each street light, his annoyed mood just got worse. He ran down a darkened alley when he bumped into someone running straight in his direction, knocking him off his feet. "Ugh... Seriousl-!" Jay looked up and there stood Nathan.

"It's you...!" Nathan's eyes widened. He took a step back slightly. "Wait, who are  _you_  running from!?"

Jay's eye widened, his mouth hung open slightly. He frowned and stood up, straightening his posture. He looked Nathan dead in the eyes. "Whoa, what happened to  _you_?"

"Are you..." Nathan's surprised expression turned angry. "Are you  _kidding_  me?!  ** _You_**  did this to me, you psychopath!"

"Man, listen, you can explain yourself without shatterin' my eardrums, alright?" Jay winced slightly, making an uncomfortable hand gesture.

Nathan was angry yet confused. He didn't understand why Jay didn't even really question why Nathan was stood in front of him. Nathan knew that Jay knew that he killed him. "Why...?" Nathan asked. "You killed me... Aren't you even slightly confused as of why I'm here?"

Jay walked out of the alleyway, throwing his hoodie back over his head. "Hopefully those blue wearin' motherfuckers are gone by now."

Nathan furrowed his brows, every word that came out of Jay's mouth just made him more confused.

"Well?" Jay asked, turning to him. "Just gunna stand there or what?"

Nathan swallowed whatever pride he had left in him and followed Jay out of the alleyway. "Where are you even going...?"

"I was gunna have a night out to myself but that went down the shithole." Jay sighed. He placed his hammer back in the back pocket of his jeans. Jay and Nathan began walking down the street. Nathan was completely silent for a few minutes, he had no idea what to say.

"Still no Mike then...?"

"Huh?" Nathan asked, turning to him.

"I'm stuck with you instead." Jay sighed. "Look, man, I didn't mean to kill ya like that."

" _Is he... apologizing?_ " Nathan thought.

"You and Riley went a little sooner than I planned but, hey, what can ya fuckin' do?" Jay shrugged, pulling a cigarette from the pocket of his hoodie.

"Why... aren't you asking why I'm walking with you?" Nathan asked, his voice rather low. "Aren't... you curious as to why I'm alive here... with you?"

"Did Mike set you up to this?" Jay lit his cigarette in his mouth and took it out; his cigarette laying between his fingers. "Jesus. Look, I get it by now, it ain't my fault."

"I'm confused still." Nathan explained. "Honestly, I'm more confused now than before I bumped into you. Mike told me... that he looks after you."

"What're you talkin' about?" Jay asked. He stopped and turned his attention to Nathan. "I haven't seen Mike in a long time. He stopped talkin' to me. I guess he just... got bored of everythin'." Jay paused, before chuckling slightly. "Bored of me, probably."

"W-What?!" Nathan's eyes widened. "D-Do you know what he's  _doing_  for you? Shit, he's as insane as you are!"

"Listen, I don't need your fuckin' input, alright?" Jay spoke up. "You're just some punk I killed the other day, you ain't shit to me. Get outta my head."

" _Does he... not think I'm real!?_ " Nathan thought. " _He thinks I'm just his imagination... and... maybe Mike too?_ " Nathan breathed in. "I'm... not in your head, you know that, right?"

Jay took a puff of his cigarette and raised an eyebrow. "You're funny, I'll give you that."

"I- I didn't give a crap at first what you or Mike did but not even acknowledging my existence right now is pushing my buttons a little!" Nathan spoke, raising his voice. Nathan took a deep breath and with all his courage he had in him, he grabbed Jay's wrist and held it up in front of him. "You see this, right? I'm touching you! I'm real. Right in front of you!"

Jay shrugged and threw his cigarette on the ground. "I'm already in a pretty fucked off mood. Go annoy someone else." Jay walked away and up the street.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Nathan's eyes widened as he chased after him, "you're just gunna walk away?!" Nathan finally caught up to him, standing in front of him as Jay continued on walking. Jay shoved his hands into his jean pockets, ignoring the man in front of him.

"You  _know_  I'm real! Stop acting like you can't see me!" Nathan demanded. " _Mierda_...!  ** _Jay!_** "

Jay stayed silent.

"So, that's it, huh?!" Nathan spoke up as he stopped walking in front of Jay, watching him walk off up the street. " **You're gunna ignore the fact that you killed me and my fucking friend?!** " He shouted. "I-I had a feeling that Riley loved you but I never got it! I never understood why and I still  **FRICKIN' DON'T!**  You're insane but you're not imagining me! Please...  _stop!_ ** _Freeman!_** "

Jay stopped in his tracks, his boots making a cracking sound against the gravel as he stopped. "...Then prove it."

"W-What?" Nathan asked.

"Prove to me that you're real." Jay spoke up.

"How?"

Jay turned around, a smirk painted across his face. "Kill someone. Then I'll believe you. Maybe."

Nathan took a few steps forward, "You gotta listen, okay? Mike... He's already doing that for you.  _You_." Nathan looked away, closing his eyes shut. "He's been doing it for God knows how long. I just- I just need to save my friend." Nathan looked Jay in the eye. "B-But I can explain everything, you just have to-!"

"Ha, nice try! Nope!" Jay spoke with a louder voice. "I don't care for your excuses, pal."

Nathan fell silent. He had no idea how to reply. Jay stormed over to Nathan, towering over him slightly. "Do it. Prove it to me."

"I won't but I can show that I wasn't lying when I said Mike has." Nathan replied, looking at him. "You gotta trust me. What've   you   got   to   lose?"


	5. I'm real

With a lot of pestering, Nathan had convinced Jay to follow him. Nathan walked back to the thought-to-been abandoned house that Mike took him to. "Mike took me here."

Jay was fiddling with his leather gloves, not really paying attention to what Nathan was saying or doing.

"Freeman!" Nathan groaned, shoving him slightly.

" ** _OI._** " Jay snapped at him, an irritated expression on his face. "Stop touchin' me." He sighed and looked over towards the house in front of them. "So what?" Jay asked.

Nathan's brown eyes glanced over at the front door, it had been left open, just how he remembered. "You want me to prove to you that I'm... that Mike is real, right?"

Jay sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Mike will tell you himself."

"I dunno why Riley hired you, you're an idiot." Jay interrupted, turning to him. "Whether or not what you're sayin' is bullshit," Jay turned his attention back to the house. "it doesn't matter. Mike's told me before."

"Well, what did he say?" Nathan asked. "You didn't believe your best friend?"

"If you ain't realized by now, pal, Mike is dead. So, are you." Jay sighed and began walking up the few steps to the main entrance to the house. Jay tapped the side of his head with the tip of his middle finger a few times, "I get it."

As Jay walked inside, Nathan followed him. The smell getting closer to him, making him remember how gross it was. "Ugh..." Nathan groaned. Nathan's eyes darted around the room as he tried to focus his sight on his surroundings, "MIKE. I-I'm here!" He shouted, regretting every word coming out of his mouth. " **Come kill me then!** "

_"Nathan... Please wake up!"_

The voice at the back of Nathan's head was starting to really get to him. Even though he knew Riley was... alive, he couldn't push away this awful feeling. " **Hey, Mike!**  I'm about to kill Jay, you better come stop me!"

"Ain't just you a bucket of sunshine?" Jay raised an eyebrow, cocking his head slightly.

Nathan stepped back slightly, hitting his back against Jay behind him. "Oh, shit." Nathan turned around, Jay's blue eye staring down at him. He gulped, fear running through his veins. He was speechless.

"See." Jay spoke up. "He isn't here."

" ** _MIKE, ANSWER ME!_** " Nathan yelled.

_"Nathan...! NATHAN!"_

"U-Ugh... I gotta... do something." Nathan groaned, holding his head. "I gotta save her..."

Jay stood there, his hands in his pockets. He sighed out of boredom and he began to walk towards the front door. "Well, this was borin' as fuck. Cya later."

_"Nathan, please! NATHAN!"_

Nathan's eyes darted towards Jay. "Wait!  ** _Stop!_** " He couldn't let him leave. He was the key to helping Riley. Helping everyone. He had to stop him. "Fine, you wanted me to prove it!?"

Jay ignored him and continued making his way to the exit.

" ** _I'LL PROVE I'M REAL._** "

Nathan raced towards Jay, pushing him to the ground. Jay fell onto his back, watching Nathan run towards him. "You're a piece of work, ain't ya?" Jay reached for his hammer but it wasn't in the back pocket of his jeans. Jay looked up and it was in Nathan's hands. "Too late to say I believe you now, huh?" Jay chuckled.

Nathan gulped and squeezed his eyes shut. With a swing of the hammer and thud, Jay was knocked unconscious. Nathan dropped the hammer to the ground, his hands shaking like a leaf as he fell to his knees. He slowly crawled over to Jay, his eyes widened when he noticed Jay's chest still slightly moving. " _He's... still breathing...?_ " Nathan's teeth clenched as he looked over at the opening of the door. He'd done it.

He  had  Mockingjay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was so short, I had to cut it there!


	6. Everything I say

As Jay finally woke up, his eye fluttering slightly as he focused on what was in front of him. It was Nathan. He was pacing back and forth in front of him. "Hm?" Jay looked down and saw he was tied to a wooden chair; his wrists were tied together on the arms of the chair with some somewhat worn out rope. " ** _Oi..._** " Jay mumbled.

Nathan's ear perked at the sound of Jay's voice. He quickly turned around to face him.

"What... did I say about touchin' me...?" Jay groaned.

Nathan stood there, his hands clenched. "How does it feel...?" Nathan spoke up. " _Huh?!_ "

Jay looked up at Nathan as he walked closer to him.

"Being tied down, not having any control of yourself!" Nathan snapped at him. "Must **suck!** "

"You're talkin' to me like I ain't been in this position before, you dumbfuck." Jay spoke, cocking his head slightly.

"What...?" Nathan asked.

Jay let out a sigh. "You think... you're the first person that's done this to me?"

"S-Shut the hell up! I don't care!" Nathan hissed. " _Hijo de puta..._ "

"Do you have to keep doin' that?" Jay sighed, "I already hear your accent, okay? Dumbass American."

" ** _I'm Cuban!_** " Nathan spoke, his voice slightly louder than before.

"Whatever. Can I go now?"

"No! You- you have to do everything I say now!" Nathan demanded.

"Or what?" Jay asked, a smirk growing on his face. " ** _You'll kill me?_** "

"Heh." Nathan laughed slightly. "You must really get it now, huh?" He stood closer to Jay, towering over him. "That I'm real."

Jay shrugged, "what difference does it make?"

"Mike!" Nathan spoke up. "That's the frickin' difference! That Mike is real too! He's got Riley! You- we have to do something, man!"

"That's not my problem." Jay replied. "In case you've forgot, I'm the one who killed her in the first place, remember?" Jay looked around the room. It was smaller than his otherwise bigger basement that he kept them in before. This room had better lighting though and he could see Nathan's face much more clearly than before. "You sure do care a lot about someone who's only your boss."

"She's my friend!" Nathan exclaimed.

"I have a feeling..." Jay paused, his smirk still painted across his face, "that you _like_ her."

"W-What?!" Nathan spoke with a louder tone of voice than before. "I don't! She's my boss and my friend! Jesus!" He looked away for a second, taking a step back away from Jay. "I know... how she feels about you though. I kinda felt like I always had."

"What about you?" Jay asked.

"Huh?"

"How do you feel about me?" Jay added.

"Carajo..." He sighed. "I don't like violence." Nathan spoke bluntly. He let out a slight sigh and crossed his arms. "I had nothing personal against you at all... not until recently anyway. You were nothing but another face on the news to me. Your stories gave me my rent money. I hate violence but it wasn't like someone like me could do anything about the stuff you were doing."

"If you don't like it then why the fuck did you choose this job?" Jay asked. "The only reason you'd choose it is because of her."

Nathan turned away from Jay, he couldn't bare Jay looking at him. Even having a conversation with him was making Nathan uncomfortable. "She asked me and I said sure. She was so damn good at investigating things on you, it was borderline creepy but again, Riley is so good at doing her job, there was no way I could say no."

"But she was hot though." Jay chuckled, a small smirk on his face.

Nathan turned even further away from him.

"There's no way you didn't think of it even a little." Jay smirked. "I mean, with her shirt cut that low, how could you not, right?"

"Stop it." Nathan mumbled, his fingers pressing against his arms, crossing his arms tighter.

"Her lipstick was pretty ruined after I was done with her." Jay spoke, his smirk turning into a sinister grin. "How'd you think that happened, Nate?"

"I said  _ **stop it!**_ " Nathan pulled his fist back to punch Jay but he stopped at his face. He  couldn't  do  it. Nathan pulled his fist away slowly and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Why are so many people obsessed with you...?" An irritated expression was clear on Nathan's face. He turned to Jay, his eyes wandering Jay's face. "Do you even know the answer to that question, asshole?"

Jay's smirk dropped slowly, his face becoming serious. "People fear and even enjoy things they don't understand. The unknown interests everyone, doesn't it? Hell, you wouldn't even be here otherwise."

Nathan's eyes widened slightly, he'd never heard him so serious before.

...

"AHAHAH!" Jay burst into fits of laughter. "You should see your face! I got ya good! Hahaha!"

Nathan stood there, not really sure how to act.

" _Really?_ " Jay pouted, still laughing. "Come on, man, that was funny."

"You..." Nathan spoke up.

"What now? Gunna monologue for me some more?" Jay groaned, rolling his eye.

"You're... always joking around..." Nathan spoke up. "How could someone like you...  _murder_  people...?"

"I had this same fuckin' conversation with Riley, I don't murder pe-"

"Momentary insanity..." Nathan mumbled. "Riley was right."

Jay's eye searched the room as he pursed his lips. "Great, now he's talkin' to himself." Jay mumbled under his breath.

"You didn't kill Mike on purpose..., did you?" Nathan spoke up, looking Jay in the eye.

Jay's throat hitched slightly, trying to find words to say. "Heh... Maybe you're not as stupid as you look."

_"Nathan... Nathan..."_

Nathan grabbed the sides of the back of the chair, staring Jay straight in the face. "It's the voice, isn't it?"

"Uh, you're a little close, pal." Jay groaned.

"Danielle was right too. The voice in your head... you kill to subside it." Nathan's eyes widened. "Right?"

Jay tilted his head down slightly, a smirk on his face. "You're only half right."

"What'd you mean?"

Jay looked up through his silver bangs, staring at Nathan. "The voice... It's  been  gone  a  long,  long  time."


	7. Isn't it obvious

"Kill him?!" Riley shouted in a panic. "But..." She paused, desperately trying to find an answer to this situation. "Does Jay even know  _how_?!"

"No." Mike chuckled. "That's why this is so funny."

"Aren't you worried?" Danielle asked.

"About what?" Mike asked.

"What if he gets to Jay first?" Danielle spoke up. "Have you even given any thought to that?"

Mike laughed, throwing his hands out in a simple shrug. "So what? There's nothing  _Nathan_  could do about this. He ran away, remember? The guy's a fucking loser."

"No, he's not!" Riley spoke up, furrowing her brows. Riley wanted to give up trying to reason with him. He was clearly insane and didn't even want to listen, but she had no other option. "Like I said, Nathan might not be the hero type," Riley exclaimed, turning to Mike, "but he wouldn't back down if Jay came at him. Self defense."

" _Ooh?_ " Mike cooed, a half-smile crawling to his face. "You really think that?"

Riley stayed quiet. She didn't want to seem to eager for him to leave, but nonetheless, she had a plan.

"It's not like someone hasn't tried to fight him before though." Mike replied, his eyes falling to Danielle. "Right?" He shook his head and looked back to Riley, "Even if you and Nathan were  _both_  out there trying to find him, he would find you first and torture you to the point of insanity if he hadn't figured out a way to kill you again."

Riley gulped. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She didn't want to lash out like she did when she met Jay. She knew she had to remain calm.

"I'm leaving." Mike turned away from them and towards the door. "Enjoy the rest of your days in-"

"I have one more thing to ask." Riley spoke up.

"... _What?_ "

"If you kill everyone that comes back... Why haven't you killed us?" She asked, her eyes glued to his as he turned back around.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mike asked.

...

"You two... have something in common."

Riley turned to Danielle, her eyes widening.

"That's right," Mike smiled, "you'll bare this curse forever... just like I have to." He turned away again and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.  
  
"..." Riley frowned slightly, "I wonder... why he kept Nathan alive, though. I understand us but..."  
  
"Believe it or not, Mike has a hard time killing." Danielle replied, "what he just told us is bullshit. He hates me, he hates you, he dislikes a lot of fucking people but..." She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, "I hate him but he still has... some kinda human left in him." She pushed a brown lock from her face and behind her ear. "Whatever. _Fuck him._ Never had the guts to tell Jay how he feels. Always blamed me. _He   deserves   this_."

"Danielle..." Riley mumbled. "You dated Jay. Do you think Jay had any idea how Mike felt...?"

"Honestly, I think Jay was too stupid to realize it." Danielle replied, turning to the girl next to her. "Jay was and is a stubborn and reckless asshole, even if he did know, he'd push it to the side and pretend that Mike didn't. Either way, Mike is still is fucking unpredictable and I have a feeling... you have a plan."

"Huh?"

"You're a reporter, a journalist. You're smart, right? Tell me what it is." Danielle exclaimed confidently.

Riley turned away, looking down at her feet. "I have a feeling the only way to end this whole thing is if Mike tells Jay. This is all happening because of Mike."

"Jay is murdering us, these people, in the first place though." Danielle frowned, a confused look on her face. "This isn't just Mike."

Riley shook her head. She looked up from her feet and at Danielle. "I think Jay killed Mike by accident that day... That must've set something off in Jay to start murdering people for real." Riley paused, frowning slightly. "The voice in our heads... is what we hear by the person we're thinking of before we die, right?"

Danielle nodded, crossing her arms.

"What if the voice inside Jay's head...  _is Mike?_ "


	8. Long time no see

"Damn it, damn it, damn it...!" Nathan chanted, pacing across the room again, his hands on his head. "What am I supposed to do with you...?!"

"To be honest, I thought you would've called the pigs by now." Jay spoke up, raising an eyebrow.

"And tell them what?!" Nathan stopped in his tracks, turning to the man in the chair. " _Hi, I'm an undead guy who has Mockingjay tied to a chair, mind if you come get him for me?!_ "

Jay laughed, "you're funny when you're angry! At least I know how to get some entertainment from you now."

" **This is serious!** " Nathan shouted, throwing his arms out in anger.

"You seem a little on edge here, Nate." Jay chuckled. "Did you even  _think_  of what you'd do with me before knocking me out?"

Nathan clenched his fist again, every time Jay opened his mouth it made Nathan want to hit him more and more. "Stop mocking me, asshole..."

"Clue is in the name, genius." Jay furrowed his brows and tilted his head back, the nape of his neck touching the top of the chair. He let out a sigh as he stared at the ceiling. Silence filled the room for a minute before Jay opened his mouth again. "...Did you mean what you said?"

"What?" Nathan asked.

"About Mike." Jay exclaimed. "...Is he really like you?"

Nathan's eyes widening slightly. He rested his stiffened shoulders and turned away from Jay. "I wasn't lying to you." He replied. "You're crazy but not  _that_  crazy."

"No." Jay spoke up. " _I am._ "

Nathan stayed silent, he felt like, for the first time in a while, he had nothing to say. Jay actually had a serious tone in his voice, it was rather calming to him.

"You said there wasn't anything you could about the things I'm doing." Jay exclaimed. "So, what are you gunna do now you've got me?"

...

"Come on. You can't let my sins got unpunished now, can yo-"

Nathan grabbed Jay by the top of his vest, pulling his head back down, giving Nathan his full attention. "You're gunna help me save Riley from Mike. That's all you owe me. After that, I couldn't give a shit  _what_  you do."

"Heh." Jay looked down, a smile on his face. "You're kinda weird, you know that?" He paused before looking up at Nathan. " **Sure.** "

...

Nathan let go of Jay's shirt, a dumbfounded look on his face. " ** _...Eh?_** "

"What?" Jay asked.

"Really?" Nathan asked. "That's all it takes to break you?"

Jay shrugged, a crocked smile on his face. "What can I say? I'm fuckin' easy."

_" **NATHAN! WAKE UP!** "_

" _ **ARGH!**_ " Nathan pulled away from Jay, holding his head. "It's- It's back!"

_" **NATHAN!** "_

"Oh, _fuck!_ " Nathan winced, "why...? Why has her voice come back...?!"

"It stopped for a while because you hit me." Jay explained. "The voice in your head will come back after awhile. It depends on how much blood you spill."

"I can't do that!" Nathan raised his voice. "I can't kill anyo- AHH!"

"Holy fuck." Jay sighed. "I said this to Riley." He cocked his head slightly. "You don't need to fuckin' kill to get rid of it."

_" **NATHAN! WAKE UP!** "_

Nathan stood up straight, looking down at Jay as he pulled his fist back. "I'm sorry!"

_" **Nat-!** "_

Nathan punched Jay in the face. "U-Ugh... D-Dios mio... I-I'm sorry..."

...

"Heheh..." A dark chuckle came from Jay's throat. "That felt good, didn't it?" Jay looked up at Nathan, blood dripping from his nose. "Haha! The voice is gone, ain't it?!"

Nathan's eyes widened as he noticed blood on his knuckles. "Oh god..." He turned away from Jay and threw up in the corner of the room. Nathan began breathing heavily, he never thought that this is what Jay had to endure, what he had to do. "You've..." Nathan spoke up. He wiped his mouth, turning back to Jay. "You've killed enough people so that the voice won't come back... so, why?"

"I-"

"Why are you still killing people?!" Nathan snapped. This is was clearly getting too much for him. "You'd have to had been a such good person at some point for Mike to love you this much!" Nathan began breathing heavily. "Well?! ...Answer me!"

"...I almost started to believe you." Jay mumbled. "Heh... I guess you are just my imagination."

"Are you frickin'  _ **KIDDING ME?!**_ " Nathan pulled his fist back to punch him again.

" _ **HEY.**_ "

"Huh...?" Nathan turned away from Jay and towards the door where he heard another voice.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Mike asked.

"Heh." Jay turned to Mike. "Long time no see."


	9. It was Mike

Nathan stood there, standing in front of Jay, both of their attentions turned to Mike at the door. Mike's expression wasn't subtle at all, the anger in his face was as clear as the blood stains on his shirt. He slowly reached for something in his back pocket. Nathan's eyes widened slightly; Mike had a switchblade in his hand. "You finally came..." Nathan spoke up, breaking the silence.

Mike began making his way to Nathan, lifting the knife up as he drew closer to him. "You're... annoying. You couldn't just stay put...?" Mike mumbled as he swung the blade at Nathan's head. Nathan quickly bounced back, almost tripping over his own feet slightly as he stepped backwards. Nathan's eyes wandered to Jay's hammer that laid on the floor a few feet away from him.

"Can we hurry this up?" Jay sighed, tilting his head back again. "I can't believe I have to deal with this bullshit."

Nathan furrowed his brows turning to Jay. Jay still didn't believe him and it pissed Nathan off. Big time.

Mike began walking closer to Nathan again.

" **Wait!** " Nathan threw his hands in front of him, taking a step closer to the hammer on the ground. "Tell Jay that you're alive and not his damn imagination! Even if you have to kill me afterwards! P-Please!"

"Oh?" Mike stopped in his tracks. "You figured it out then."

"Huh?"

"That you ain't shit." Mike pulled the blade back and aimed at Nathan.

Nathan swung the hammer at Mike's chest, a loud thud echoing throughout the room.

_..._

Mike looked down at the hammer's head touching his skin, drops of blood trickling down his chest.

"I told Jay he wasn't  _that_  crazy... because  _that_  crazy..." Nathan looked up at Mike, anger in his eyes, "is you."

Nathan pulled back his fist and punched Mike square in the face, knocking him unconscious; blood pouring from his nose. "O-Oh god..." Nathan's eyes widened as he turned away and threw up again, avoiding Mike who  was  now  on  the  floor. "I-I can't get used to this much blood..."

"Are we done now?" Jay asked, cocking his head slightly.

Nathan pulled his fist back again to punch Jay but he stopped. He grit his teeth as his fist began shaking violently. "Mike will wake up tied to that pipe over there..." Nathan looked down, squinting his eyes, not even wanting to look at Jay. "And you will see how real he frickin' is."

Jay let out a chuckle, staring at Nathan's fist. "and how're you gunna do that? You can't even hit me without the voice being in your head."

Nathan turned away from him and knelled in front of Mike. " _At least the voice has gone away for a while..._ " Nathan thought to himself. " _W-What a weird thing to think._ "

Nathan grabbed Mike's hands and pulled him over to the other side of the room. He scanned the room for a second and grabbed the left over rope he had used for Jay and tied Mike with it to a leaking pipe sticking out from the wall. "There..." Nathan mumbled to himself. "Hopefully he won't be out for long."

"You're gettin' a kick outta this, ain't ya?" Jay asked, a smug look on his face.

Nathan didn't face him. He sat down in front of Mike, crossing his legs. "..." He pursed his lips and sighed slightly. "You really like being sarcastic, don't you?"

"You don't seem bothered by all this." Jay spoke up. "You  only  threw  up  twice."

"As appose to what...?" Nathan asked.

"It ain't hard to figure out that I had to do this too, you know." Jay replied.

Nathan glanced down at the wooden floor beneath him. That's all he thought about the whole time he was there. That Jay had to endure this just as much as he and everyone else have. "Has anyone else come to you like this...?"

Jay shook his head, "you're a first. Well, actually, second if you include Mike."

Nathan frowned for a second before realizing something important. "Wait..." He lifted his head up slightly and turned to Jay, his eyes slightly widened. "Who was the voice in  _your_  head...?"

Jay raised an eyebrow, "isn't that obvious?"

_..._

"It was Mike."


	10. Not that crazy

"Mike hasn't been back for awhile..." Riley mumbled.

Danielle glanced over at the door, "yeah. It's weird for him to not be back by now at least..." She turned her attention to Riley. "Maybe he found Nathan."

"Don't say that." Riley spoke up. "Even so, he'd be back by now..., wouldn't he?"

Danielle stayed silent. She let out a sigh and sat down on the floor. Riley frowned and looked down at her, "what're you doing?"

"Look, sweetheart. Nate isn't gunna last a day out there with Mike lookin' for him. Even so, Jay might run into him too." She replied. "There's-"

"Wait. Hold on a second." Riley turned to the door, a small light coming from the edges of it. "The door!" Riley spoke. "It's open...!"

"Is this really necessary?" Jay asked as Nathan ripped Jay's vest off of his body.

"You talk way too much and it's just..." Nathan sighed and walked behind Jay, "it's annoying."

" _That's_  the part about me that's annoyin' to you?" Jay asked before Nathan twisted Jay's vest into a gag and wrapped it around Jay's head.

Nathan took a few steps in front of Jay again, crossing his arms. "There." Nathan sighed to himself. "You-"

_..._

Nathan stood there a second, looking at Jay intensely. Jay had a tattoo that spelled out 'Free' on the right side of his chest.  But that wasn't what he was looking at. No, Nathan couldn't help but notice how well toned Jay's body was under his vest. "Okay, now I'm more pissed off." Nathan groaned and turned away from him, furrowing his brows with an irritated expression on his face. "You think you're just hot shit, don't you?"

"Hm?" Jay asked, mumbling through the fabric.

" _What a pretty boy._ " He groaned in his thoughts. An irritated growl came from Nathan's throat, "forget it."

"Ugh..." Mike groaned as his brown eyes fluttered open slightly. He looked up a little, noticing the rope around his wrists and a pipe in the wall. "... ** _Really_** _ **?**_ "

"You tried to kill me!" Nathan snapped at him.

Mike paused for a second, his eyes glancing to Jay. "..." His eyes looked up at Nathan. "Why did you gag him for?"

"So he can't talk while you're explaining yourself to him!" Nathan hissed. "Now.  ** _TALK._** "

"Hey, Jay." Mike spoke up, cocking his head to the side a little. "You pissed this guy off this much that he gagged you?" He laughed.

A smile grew to Jay's face behind the yellow material in his mouth.

Nathan slapped Mike in the face, " ** _TELL HIM._** "

"You know that doesn't actually hurt, right?" Mike spoke up.

Nathan grabbed the top of Mike's shirt, pulling him closer to him. "You're really pissing me off too, so tell Jay how much you want to fuck him so I can go the hell home with my friend."

Mike shrugged, "nah."

"Mhmmh." Jay spoke through his gag, trying to make out words.

_Ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ri-_

Nathan grabbed his phone from his pocket. "Riley...?" He answered it and placed it to his ear. "Hey?"

"Where are you?" Riley asked.

"It's a long story, but I could use your help. You were right about everything, Riley. I'm at Strove Avenue, house 57." Nathan replied.

"You've got a big mouth." Mike spoke up.

Nathan glared at him, furrowing his brows. "Right... Okay. Cya in a minute." Nathan pushed his phone back into his pocket. He turned his attention back to Mike, an annoyed expression on his face. "You have until Riley gets here to tell him."

"What're you gunna do, tough guy? You're scared of your own reflection." Mike snapped at him, his smug face replaced with an annoyed one.

" **Shut up!** " Nathan yelled. His breath hitched in his throat slightly as he turned away from Mike. "You're just as scared as me."

"Scared of what?"

"Of Jay!" Nathan spoke up, his voice getting louder with each word. He looked over at Jay in the chair, a bored expression on Jay's face. "And you need to realize that I'm not just someone in your head that you think you feel guilty for killing! I don't give a shit whether you're alive but you saying I'm not is annoying and I can't  ** _stand it!_** "

"You need to stop fucking yelling every damn second." Mike groaned.

"Then maybe you should listen to me!" Nathan snapped at him, turning his head back to Mike on the floor. Nathan pointed at Jay, his arm completely stretched out. " ** _TELL HIM._** "

Mike sat there, staring at Nathan with a blank expression. He had no intention whatever of doing or saying anything that Nathan is asking of him. Nathan was clearing getting nowhere with this guy any time soon.

An hour and a half had passed by, Nathan was still sat between Mike and Jay in the empty living room of an empty abandoned house. It was silent the whole time. Nathan knew and had figured out now that nothing is going to break them, not even each other. Riley hadn't shown up either.

Nathan finally stood up, standing in place a few seconds. " _..._ " He turned away and began walking towards the door.

"Going somewhere?" Mike asked.

Nathan paused and turned back to Mike. "Home." He opened the door and walked outside, closing the door behind him.

Mike turned away from the door and let out a sigh.

"Mhmh." Jay tried to speak again.

Mike looked up at his friend. He was a still tied to the chair, his yellow vest around his mouth. Jay was staring right back at him. "What?" Mike asked. "Stop looking at me like that, man. You got yourself in this mess, you can get yourself out."

Jay paused. "..." He then began ripping his vest slightly as it began to slowly fall from his mouth. "You know..." He glanced down at Mike whom was still tied to the pipe on the wall. "You're doing a lot for someone who's only part of my imagination."

Mike's eyes widened slightly. He frowned slightly, lowering his head. "Heh... You're crazy."

"Nope." A smirk crawled to Jay's face. "Not  _that_  crazy...

...Mikey."


	11. Remember

Mike sat across the room from Jay, staring up at him. A flesh slicing silence filled the room as Mike came to realize what Jay is thinking.

"You got something to say?" Mike put on a brave face, a smirk crawling to his lips. "Got a weird look on your face right now, you know."

"Maybe you're the one who has somethin' they wanna say." Jay pulled his wrists from the ropes, trying to break free. " _Tch_... These really are tight."

"I wanna get outta here just as much as you." Mike spoke. "Leave it at that."

Jay stayed silent for a second, a serious expression on his face. "You were really alive." He spoke up. "You told me so many times and I didn't believe you. So you left."

"I never left completely." Mike exclaimed. "...I was... just helping in a different way. ...Don't give me attitude." Mike groaned, turning away from his friend.

The door open slightly and slowly, the sound of small heels stepping into the room. "Nathan...?" Riley asked. She pushed her red hair out of her eyes as she saw Jay and Mike tied up. "What... is going on here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Red." Jay spoke up, turning to her. "Would you be kind enough to untie me?"

Riley swallowed, furrowing her eyebrows. "Where's Nathan?"

"He left." Jay replied. "He got fed up and literally just left us like this."

Riley turned her attention to Mike whom was on the floor. "...Have you told him yet?" She scrunched her face up slightly. "You know what, forget it. I don't care."

"Tell who what?" Jay asked.

Riley's eyes were still glued to Mike, an annoyed look on her face. "That Mike has feelings for you." She turned back to Jay. "You're an unpredictable person, I can kind of see why Mike would be hesitant of telling you something like that."

Jay stayed silent for a second as he began pulling on the ropes again. "For a wimpy little fucker like that, he sure knows how to tighten these things real good."

"See." Riley spoke up. "You refuse to even listen to me." She sighed and crossed her arms. "I'm surprised you even believe I'm standing right in front of you."

"Oh, don't worry." Jay spoke up, "I believe you're real. So is that emo fuck over there." He added, pointing to Mike.

"Oh, stop with the attitude!" Mike groaned.

"Enough!" Riley raised her voice. "I can't just leave you two here but I can't exactly kill you either."

"How 'bout we make a deal, Red?" Jay spoke up, turning to her. "You untie me and you'll never hear from me again. Well, maybe except for on the news. Heh." He chuckled slightly.

"What? So, you can murder more people? Not a chance." She replied.

Jay pouted slightly, "not even for a kiss?"

_"Little fish...? Remember? Little fish, remember? Remember? Remem- Little fi- Rememb- Remember? Little fish."_

" ** _S-SHIT!_**  N-Not again...!" Riley pushed her hands against the sides of her head. "F-FUCK...! There must be... another way to subside this...!"

"Untie me and I'll show you." Mike exclaimed.

"Shut... Shut up!" Riley shouted.

"Red." Jay spoke up. "Come over here and-"

"I said SHUT UP!" Riley cried. She fell to her knees, pressing her palms to the sides of her head. "Jay... Your voice... is really  **annoying**...!"

_"Little fish, remember? Hahah, remember?!"_

"Right now, your voice is the fuckin' annoyin' one." Jay groaned. "Riley. Come over here and hit me." Jay spoke up. "The voice... It'll go away." He paused for a second, watching her crotch over on the floor. "For a while."

"GLADLY!" Riley pulled her fist back and punched Jay in the face. Her eyes quickly widened as the voice in her head quickly faded away. "Holy shit..."

"Why'd you do that for?! I almost had her!" Mike spoke up.

"Her voice was annoyin' me! You know how annoyin' the voice can get, Mikey." Jay replied, huffing slightly, moving his jaw about. "You've been wantin' to do that this whole time, haven't you, Red?"

"Should've just left her." Mike groaned.

Riley turned her head to Mike, her eyes burning with frustration. "If there's one thing I've learnt by any of this..., is that you're more of an asshole than Jay is!"

"Oh, fuck off!" Mike shouted.

"You keep undead people suffering from insanity in your basement!" Riley yelled. "You pretend to be this tough guy but you're really just scared! Just like you said Nathan is! You can't kill us just as we can't kill you!"

"Woah, what?" Jay asked, turning to Mike. "What is she talkin' about?"

"...People you've killed." Mike replied. "With a headshot. They come back." He pointed to Riley and then to himself.

"Heh." Jay chuckled. "This has been quite a day for me, huh?"

Riley squinted her eyes and straightened her posture, "I should probably call the cops and get out of here."

"What?!" Mike spoke up. "Are you shitting me?!"

"If either of you somehow find a way out of those ropes, I'll hate myself for it." She mumbled.

"You wouldn't fucking dare!" Mike growled. "I'll kill you for real if you do."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about." Riley exclaimed.

"Not gunna lie to you, Red, I'd probably just fuckin' leave." Jay explained bluntly. "I already killed ya. I don't need anythin' from you."

"What?" She asked. "So, knowing you've already killed me, you don't need that satisfaction again?"

"Fuck no. People like you talk too much. I'm not dealin' with that shit again." Jay shrugged, an annoyed look on his face. "Then again, I'm tied to this chair havin' no choice of what the fuck ever is happenin' right now."

"It's ironic." Riley spoke up, a small smile on her face. "You're the one tied down, having to listen to my bullshit now."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Jay groaned. "Seriously, can we hurry this up?"

Riley shoved her hand into her pocket, in search for her mobile phone. "Shit..." Riley sighed. "...You had it, Jay. That time you recorded..." An sudden gross feeling sunk in Riley's stomach, she felt sick just thinking of what had happened before.

"You're still mad about that?" Jay asked, a small playful smirk on his face.

Riley sighed. "Do either of you have a phone?"

"You gotta be shittin' me." Jay complained.

"Why don't you just leave us here?" Mike asked, almost rhetorically.

Riley looked down at Mike, "you know why."

"Riley." Jay spoke up. It was weird for Riley to hear Jay say her name, it made her uncomfortable and insecure. Worried about the words that follow.

"What is it?" Riley asked, her attention being turned to the man in the chair.

"What if I said I could promise you that I wouldn't kill anymore if you let me go?" Jay offered, a sincere tone in his voice.

"I'm not falling for it." Riley replied.

"Please? With sugar on top?" Jay asked, his voice getting smoother with each word.

"Stop it." She hissed. "You can't woo me. You should've tried that  _before_  you killed me."

"Say what you want, you still wanted to fuck a serial killer." Mike gawked.

"And you don't?" A girl's voice echoed from behind Riley.

Riley turned around and Danielle stood at the doorway, her arm lent against the door frame. Danielle's green eyes slowly glided to Jay. "I've been looking for you. Time to finish what you started."

A half smile crawled to Jay's lips, "I guess you still remember."


	12. I get it now

Danielle walked a few steps forward, pushing Riley to the side. "Sorry, but I have some serious business with these assholes." Her eyes were still glued to Jay as she pulled a knife from her pocket, the blade catching the light in the window. "Any last words, dickhead?"

Riley quickly turned to the girl next to her, "Stop! This isn't the way to get back at them! I understand how angry you are, believe me, I-"

Danielle turned to her and with a quick motion, she placed the blade at Riley's throat, cutting her slightly. "Your friend is going to get killed by this fucker, do you really want that?"

"RILEY!" A familiar voice began ringing in Riley's ears.

"Nathan...?" She asked.

Danielle's head then got pulled back and away from Riley, causing Danielle to fall to the ground. "Danielle?!" Riley spoke up. Riley turned to the door and there stood Nathan, his shirt completely stained with crimson droplets of blood.

"Riley!" Nathan grabbed Riley's hand, pulling her away.

Danielle looked up at the two journalists, an annoyed look on her face. "You led me here and now you're bailing on me? Pretty pathetic." She turned to grab her knife but it was gone. She glanced up to see Jay towering over her, twirling the key-chain attached to the knife in his index finger.

"Lookin' for somethin'?" He asked. A smirk was painted across his face as he shoved Danielle to the ground, sitting on top of her. He threw the blade away from him, pinning her hands to the rough carpet. "You always tried so hard to pretend you didn't love me. Oh, but you did."

"Jay." Mike spoke up.

"Not now, Mikey. They won't be our business anymore." Jay replied.

Nathan picked up the knife that Jay had tossed away. He paused for a moment, looking down at it. "That's right... This isn't our business anymore." He threw the knife on the ground, the blade turning slightly as it stopped at Mike's feet.

"Nathan, what're you doing...?!" Riley shouted, pulling away from his grip. "That's not the way we do this!"

"No. It's the only way." Nathan's eyes were glued to Jay the whole time. "The only way to end this... is to end them."

Mike swatted the blade from the ground with his free hand. He turned to his hand that was tied to the pipe in the wall and he began cutting the zip tie.   
  
"Nathan, stop him!" Riley shouted, trying to get past Nathan, but he wouldn't move. He kept his arms spread out completely, protecting her from the people within the room.

Jay looked down at the girl beneath him, a smirk on his face. "I bet you wanna kill me so bad right now, don't you?"

"You're the **_one_** person I'd gladly fucking kill as many times possible!" Danielle yelled as she spit in his face.

" _Ooh_ , you're kinda turnin' me on right now." Jay chuckled.

"D-Danielle!" Riley yelled. "Jay, stop it!"

As Danielle was about to speak, Jay pushed his hand against her mouth. "Guess I should thank you for tryin' to tell me about Mike before. A _mercy thank you_ by killin' you."

"JAY!" Riley yelled as tears began filling her eyes.  
  
Danielle managed to pull a hand out from Jay's grip and grabbed his hair, pulling on it. She pulled his face close to hers, " _fuck you._ " She lifted her leg up, kneeing Jay in the crotch and pulled her legs up further, kicking him off her. She quickly sat up, "You know what, Jay?" She ran her hands around the ground, stopping at Jay's hammer that laid on the ground. She picked it up, "your mum would kill herself all over again if she knew you'd turn out like this."  
  
Jay's singular blue eye widened.  
  
"Then again, maybe you turned out like this 'cause you were nothing but a junkie's son!" Danielle raced over to him, shoving him to the ground. She landed on top of him and held the hammer up, reading to swing.  
  
"Nathan, you can't let them do this!" Riley cried out.  
  
"It _was_ **_your fault!_** " Danielle thrust the hammer down.

" ** _SHUT THE FUCK UP!_** " Mike yelled. He lunged the knife down, the blade slicing the back of Danielle's throat. Blood began pooling around Jay's legs and feet, slowly staining his black jeans.

" **NO!** " Riley shoved herself away from Nathan as hard as she could and ran over towards Danielle, pulling her body off Jay. "What the fuck!? Shit, no,  **Danielle...!** "

"Riley..." Nathan murmured.

" ** _SHUT UP!_** " Riley turned to Nathan, tears running down her cheeks. "HOW COULD YOU LET HIM DO THAT?! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SHE DID, SHE WAS A PERSON."

Jay stood up, turning to Riley. "You-"

"No one deserves to die!  ** _NOBODY!_** " Riley cried out. She fell to her knees next to the girl's body, the blood on the carpet staining her black pencil skirt. "I can't believe you're both like this..." She mumbled. "You had friends... and a job... just like me.  ** _How could you do this?!_** "

"None of that matters." Nathan spoke up. As everyone turned their attention him, he stood in the doorway with a small lit cigarette lighter in his hand.

"Hey! That's mine, you fuckin'-!" Jay spoke up before getting cut off.

"I didn't realize until earlier what that gross smell was, Mike. It was gasoline." Nathan grabbed Riley, pulling her away from the two men quickly and closer to the door. "Hasta luego, amigos."

With the flick of a finger, Nathan had thrown the lighter onto the ground as a small flame began to quickly turn into a large fire, smoke filling the room and the entirety of the house. Nathan pushed Riley outside the house, they both tumbled down the few steps to the pavement.

They both were on their hands and knees, and began coughing and hacking, trying to clear their lungs.

Riley spread her fingers across the gravel and dirt on the ground as small tears fell from her eyes, hitting the ground.

"Riley, are you alright?" Nathan coughed again before making his way over to his friend. "Riley...?"

"He just... killed her..." Riley's eyes were wide as tears jumped from her eyes and fell to the dirt between her hands. "And you just killed them..."

"Riley- Riley, listen to me, they're people who don't deserve to live, do you get that?" Nathan explained. "If we kept them alive, more people would've died." He placed his hand on her shoulder, "do you underst-"

Riley pushed him away from her and began shuffling violently away from him on the ground. Her face was filled with confusion and shock. Riley's eyes were as red as her hair as crimson blood began trickling from the burn wound on her face. "You killed them." Her eyes began watering as her tears turned from trickling to streams running down her cheeks. She lifted up her hand and touched her cheek to wipe away her tears. She gulped, as she moved her hand, looking down at it and then to the small blood stain on her cheek.

"I had to, Riley." Nathan spoke, his voice soft, trying to reassure her. He paused, cupping his hands in his lap. "Come on, you can't possibly think... differently."

_"Little fish, remember?! Remember...?"_

"We should've stayed in there..." Riley replied. She looked up from her blood stained fingers and focused her attention on Nathan. "It was our time when Jay killed us."

"W-What the hell are you talking about?!" Nathan spoke up.

_"Little fish, remember?!"_

" ** _WE SHOULDN'T BE HERE._** " Riley replied, raising her voice. "If they died, so should we! Don't you get it?! If you truly want to end it, we should've died too! We- We have to end this once and for all, Nathan...!"

Nathan stood up and made his way over to her, his body towering over hers. "I did this for you! I just wanted to save you. What else do you want from me, Riley...?"

_"Remember!? Little fish, remember? Little fish, little fish."_

"One day we'll become like them." Riley's widened eyes slowly glanced down at the small knife in Nathan's hand. "We can't let anyone else die, Nathan." She quickly moved towards him, grabbing at the blade in his hand. Nathan stepped back, his eyes widening.

"RILEY!" Nathan yelled. "Stop this!"

Riley paused, her body frozen in place from attempting to take the knife off of her intern.

"We made it." Nathan exclaimed. "We survived being with him this time. I did everything to try and save you and we survived! Why the hell can't you just accept that?!"

She paused for a moment, her eyes wandering to Nathan's shirt. "Who did you kill before you came back here?" Riley asked. "Your shirt is completely soaked..."

Nathan gulped and clenched his jaw. "I didn't kill anyone." He paused, trying to avert his eyes away from Riley's. "When I got to Mike's place... Where he held us... Everyone else was all already dead. They... must've killed each other."

Riley straightened her posture, looking into Nathan's eyes. "Back in the basement..." She hesitated. "...Jay told me he believed all life is precious and yet... he just  _watched_  Mike murder Danielle without even  _trying_  to stop him." Riley looked down at her hands as they began to shake. "I can't let myself become like him, Nathan, I can't do it. You threw that knife straight back to them..." She looked up at Nathan, her eyes glued to his. "We have to really finish this. They're gone. It's the only way, we have to-"

_..._

Nathan's golden brown eyes widened as he saw trickles of blood run down Riley's chin. Riley's eyes flicked slightly as her eyes wandered down to see a blade through her throat.

"Don't worry about it." Mike spoke, his breathy voice echoing from behind Riley. "Hah... Hah..." Mike huffed heavily, blood dripping from his nose. "Red."

"Na... than..."

**_Thud._ **

Nathan's eyes slowly wandered down at Riley's body on the ground. His hands began to slowly shake as blood began to pool around his shoes. Mike stood there, a weak yet angry expression planted on his face with the bloody knife in his hand that Nathan had thrown away. "Now, it's your turn."

_"Nathan García!" Riley smiled. "I'm grateful you decided to take my offer. You were the best person for the role that I interviewed."_

_"No problem." Nathan replied, a small smile on his face. "It was the Mockingjay case you're working on right now, right?"_

_"Yeah." She replied as she pulled out a folder from her bag. She placed it on the table as Mike's picture fell out from the side of the yellow card folder. "Do you have any questions?"_

_Nathan looked down at the photo and gently picked it up with his index finger and thumb. "Oh, this was... his first victim; Michael... uh, Maiden?"_

_"Yes." Riley exclaimed, pushing the folder and papers together more neatly. "I have a lot of theories on him."_

_"Oh yeah?" Nathan asked. "Tell me about them."_

The sound of the fire flickering and cracking around the house began to get louder as the sound of fire engines began to wail in the distance. Mike quickly pounced in Nathan's direction, holding the blade up. As Mike aimed for Nathan, Nathan grabbed Mike's wrist, holding it above his head as Nathan was considerably much more taller than him. With a quick swift motion, Nathan swiped the pocket knife from Mike's hand. Mike quickly stepped back, the irritable sensation in him growing stronger. "What're you gunna do, huh? You're a fucking pussy who can't do shit!"

_"SHUT UP!" Riley turned to Nathan, tears running down her cheeks. "HOW COULD YOU LET HIM DO THAT?! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SHE DID, SHE WAS A PERSON."_

"Well, asshole?!" Mike shouted.

_"How do you feel about me?" Jay added._

_"I don't like violence." Nathan spoke bluntly. He let out a slight sigh and crossed his arms. "I had nothing personal against you at all... not until recently anyway. You were nothing but another face on the news to me. Your stories gave me my rent money. I hate violence but it wasn't like someone like me could do anything about the stuff you were doing."_

_"_ I'm not going to do anything." Nathan spoke up.

"And why not!? You just tried to kill Jay too! I'm sure Riley's voice in your head will convince you otherwise!" Mike yelled.

"You're wrong." Nathan replied. "Because her voice isn't there anymore. Her voice won't ever come back because she's dead." He dropped the knife on the ground.

Mike's eyes widened, his mouth dropping open slightly.

"Yeah... That's right... You should know  _you're_  the reason Jay is the way he is. You have to kill him. You have to let him go." Nathan began to walk closer to Mike. "But screw that because regardless of everything..." Nathan pulled his fist back and punched Mike in the face, causing him to land flat on the ground. "I get it now."

Nathan turned his head to the direction where he heard the fire engines. He let out a deep sigh and began walking away down the street, the light from the fire growing further and further away.

Mike's eyes slowly opened as he heard gravel moving around by his face. "What's the matter, Mikey? Cat got your tongue?" Jay's voice echoed.

Mike slowly sat up, glancing up at his friend. "You gunna help me up or what?"

Jay stood there for a second, a sigh escaping his lips. "You're really annoyin'." Jay held his hand out to his friend as Mike grabbed it. "Damn it, Maiden." Jay pulled Mike up, his eyes locking with Mike's instantly. "Even in death, you're still causin' more shit than me."

Jay pulled away from Mike and turned away as he began making his way down the street. He turned his head back to Mike. "What? Just gunna stand there?"

Mike's eyes fluttered slightly before he ran over to Jay. Both friends began to run down the street, their shoes scratching on the concrete as they sprinted away from the wailing sounds of the 999 services.

"Jay, listen, I-"

"Gotta find that other fuck-up now. You with me on this one or you gunna bail again?" Jay asked, turning to his friend.

Mike stayed silent for a moment, wanting to explain himself to Jay, he couldn't seem to form any words.

"Don't tell me you've gotten cold feet now, have ya?" Jay asked.

A playful smirk grew to Mike's face. "You fuckin' wish."


End file.
